Karnataka Assembly Passes Hate Speech Bill 2025: Home Minister G Parameshwara Defends 7-Year Jail Term Amid Chaos

In a stormy winter session at Belagavi, the Karnataka Assembly has passed the controversial 'Hate Speech and Hate Crimes Prevention Bill 2025' amid fierce opposition protests. Home Minister G Parameshwara defended the legislation, citing a dangerous rise in divisive rhetoric and sharing a personal anecdote about caste discrimination where he was 'not even served water using a glass'. The new law empowers the state to block digital content and imposes prison terms of up to seven years for offenders. India Today's Sagar Raj reports on the government's justification versus the BJP's claim that the law is a tool to 'chill the democracy' and throttle free speech.